Page 58 of Bernadette
“What? Who? Why? How?”
“I went with Chuck to backtrack to get a signal so we could call Tom for help. Carl caught up with us about half a mile back toward home. The three of us drove until we had a signal. I had an idea where it was. I was right. Anyway, we called Tom, and as we started the ATVs to head back to you and the others, a shot rang out. We tried to outrun it, but all of a sudden, both Chuck and his ATV went flying through the air. He landed hard, and the machine landed on top of him. I immediately called Tom back, and told him what happened. He told me not to move Chuck or the wheeler, that he would send another helicopter.”
“Okay, but you aren’t answering my questions.”
“Carl shoved me behind the machines when shots were fired. He fired back. We heard a scream, he told me to stay put, guard Chuck, and he like just melted into the night. When he returned, I immediately untied his shoes, took his shoelaces, and tied his hands at his side.”
“Who taught you that?”
“Aunt Morgan,” he grinned at her, and saw Wyatt look at her with a wink.
“Then what happened?”
“Though it was dark, Carl had a flashlight and he shone it on the shooter’s face. Oh, Carl winged him.” Lucas ran his hand over his bicep to show him where the bullet had gone. “It was only a graze. I’ve cut myself on a nail worse than he’d been shot. Anyway, I recognized him, and told him as a member of the Erwin family, he was fired.”
“Who was it?”
“Randy Weis.”
“Fuck,” Wyatt said, and looked between the two of them. He looked at Morgan with a scowl. “Did I hear Ava and the other women captured three men that were shooting at us?”
“Yes, but no one knows who they are. Dillon, DJ, or even Wilson didn’t recognize them. Bernie tried to interrogate them, but they remained silent.” Morgan giggled and looked at him. “Dillon said that since they killed your horse, they had to bury it. He and Wilson took the saddle and tack, and those three men buried the horse, but not before everyone there snapped several pictures. I think between everyone there will be at least a hundred pictures to comb through.”
“Was anyone able to get a slug from him? You know, the one that caused him to stumble.”
“It wasn’t a slug, it was buckshot, and though I didn’t know it at the time, this is what happened when they kept shooting at us when I moved you in that little canyon.” Morgan reached up and gently touched her forehead. No one said a word until Lucas swore.
“Fuck me.”
“What?” Wyatt demanded.
“I forgot to tell you, when the J’s and A’s went to see Chuck, he has a shattered wrist, the A’s left to come here, while the J’s, myself and A ladies went to see Chuck. I led the way to the room, and suddenly Dad had three men pinned to the floor and walls of the hospital.”
“Why?” both Wyatt and Morgan demanded.
“Dad recognized two of them as George Aurther, and Paulie Short, employees of the Flying E. Turned out they were in Chuck’s room and Bernie found a syringe sticking out of his IV. We think they tried to kill him, but the drugs were removed before they did too much damage.”
“What did they use?”
“Special K,” Lucas said. “Don’t worry, Dad called Wilson and had him go over the inventory at the ranch, so it won’t come back that we tried to kill him. That’s what Mikel Stokes said, if they find a vial when they go through their homes, they might be able to trace it back to the ranch, then we’ll have proof they took it.”
“Good thinking.” Wyatt leaned back and sighed heavily. After a long time, he looked at Morgan with a small shake of his head. “Get these fuckers. I’ve had about enough shit from Frank Carlisle, if it’s even him behind it. If I go after him the way I want to, with what’s burning through my veins right now, I’ll go to prison and never get out. I can’t do that to you. Get him, and you can use any resources you need from the ranch. Horses, equipment, hands, anything.”
“Thank you, and I’ll keep that in mind. I have no idea what everyone is doing, or where everyone is right now. I’ve been here since the helicopter landed on the roof.” She leaned down and kissed his forehead, and Lucas silently slipped out of the room, nodded to the two FBI agents, pulled his phone, and dialed.
CHAPTER22
“Dad?”Lucas asked when his father answered on the third ring.
“Lucas? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I’m calling to tell you that Uncle Wyatt is awake. He woke up about thirty minutes ago. They checked him all over, and he’s remembered everything.”
“Thank god,” Dillon said into the phone, and Lucas heard his muffled voice when he turned to someone to speak. He smiled when he heard cheers in the background. “Where are you right now?”
“At the hospital with Uncle Wyatt and Aunt Morgan.”
“Does that mean you finally got your head out of your ass and went over there to see Morgan?”
